Text: Robert A. Stewart (ed. J. A. Harrison), “Notes to Never Bet the Devil Your Head,” The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Vol. IV: Tales - part 03 (1902), 4:309-311

[page 309, continued:]

The text follows the Broadway Journal.

Griswold differs slightly from the text.

The revision from the earlier date consisted of a number of omissions, [page 310:] insertions, and verbal emendations, as well as the less import tant changes in punctuation.

The tide of this tale in Graham was “Never Bet Your Head. A Moral Tale.” The reference to “the Devil” except at the end of the tale, belongs to the later revision.

Variations of Graham's from text.

Title: Never Bet Your Head. A Moral Tale.

Page 222 l. 2 “Amatory Poems” (Amatory Poems,) l. 3 importa (importo) l. 8 Tomas (Torres) l. 8 for the (for so heterodox an) l. 12 a (its) l. 13 the (our modern) l. 14 Philip ... acute, (o.) page 224 l. 4 These (These ingenious) l. 7-8 In short ... shown (It has been proved) l. 25 by (bye) l. 28-29 — by ... me — (, by ... me) l. 29 appended; — ( —) page 215 l. 3 Defuncti ... and (o.) l. 14. (, or ... trees,) (o.) l. 24 that (o.) page 226 l. 2 six months, (six) l. 3 months (o.) l. 5 months (o.) l. 8 the (his) l. 9 mustaches (Melnotte frocks) l. 16 , when ... man, (o. c.) l. 23 if (, if) l. 34 in (but in) page 227 l. 2 him — (him, and) l. 3-5 — he blew ... again (and he bet me that I dared not do it again.) l. 15 the Devil (you) l. 17 best (the best) l. 12 the least (less) l. 21 have been (be) l. 23 events (events,) l. 25 man (man's) l. 30 the Devil (you) page 228 l. 9 quizzitistical ( — fizzitistical) l. 13 toad ... say, (snakes and toads when he) l. 13-14 awaken him (awakened them) l. 14 him (them) l. 14 his (their) l. 18 lecture, (o. c.) l. 25 the (his) l. 26 tight, (tight, as if he was trying to crack nuts between the lids.) l. 34 hold my tongue (keep my opinions within my own bosom.) page 229 l. 3 After “himself”comes in Gra. l. 3-4 Did ... character?, then Did ... insult him? then Did ... idiot?, then Did ... Dammit? then add: — Was I a fool ? — or was I not? Was I mad ? — or was I drunk? l. 12 the Devil (o.) l. 19-21 won ... mamma (won his little head. [page 311:] My maternal parent) l. 21 was (n. i.) l. 21 very (i.) l. 23 But (o.) l. 34 ; and (,) page 220 l. 13 the Devil (me) l. 14 unusual (extravagantly) l. 20 the “ (“The) l. 21 certain (certain austere) l. 26 way; (,) l. 34 as (as is) page 221 l. 3 in (while in) l. 3 this, (o. c.) l. 10 ; — for (—) l. 11 the Devil (me) l. 25 girl's. His (girl's, his) l. 34 I (of his I) page 222 l. 3 non-plused (stumped) l. 4 , therefore, (o.) l. 6 about? (!) l. 8 for (for,) l. 10 particularly (o.) l. 10 he (, he) l. 16 not new par. in Gra. l. 23 “Poets ... America”’ (Doctor McHenry's epics) l. 29-30 , one ... other, (o. c.) page 223 l. 1 at (in) l. 7 you will (you’ll) l. 9 trial (trial,) l. 16 and ... word (and devil the word more) l. 20 Toby (my friend, Toby) l. 21 his (his great) l. 25 events, (o. c.) l. 34 here, (o. c.) page 224 l. 6 reflection (reflection, then looked down,) l. 9 Dammit (Dammit, then put his fore-finger to the side of his nose) l. 12 stile (style) l. 13-14 Lord's (Pue's) l. 13 yet (yet to say) l. 13 low, (o. c.) l. 19 me (n. i.) l. 27 instant (instant of time) l. 28 starting, (o. c.) page 225 l. 3 moment, (moment, as they always say in the crack historical novels,) l. 3 and, (o. c.) l. 5 back, (o. c.) l. 17 anywhere; — (—) l. 18 homœopathists (homoeopathies) l. 20 bridge; (,) l. 24 flat (flat and sharp) page 226 l. 2 and, (o. c).

Variations of Griswold from text.

Page 212 l. 3 [importa] (importo) page 214 l. 1 [Antinous] (Antinöus) l. 12 say (say,) page 2 16 l. 3 gnawing (knawing) page 218 l. 19 behaviour (behavior) page 220 l. 4 arm (, arm) l. 31 foot-way (o. h.) page 223 l. 8 he (he,) page 224 l. 10 , at (o. c.) page 225 l. 6 In (At) l. 19 mean time (meantime).